There are health hacks that require buying niche and expensive tools, and then there are those that can be added to basket during your weekly shop. For purposes of time, money, stress and other obvious reasons, it’s always wise to incorporate the latter – today, dear reader, we bring you an affordable fruit that’s always available on the supermarket aisles: pomegranate.
According to functional health doctor Dr Mark Hyman, it’s a fruit worth eating regularly. Rich in antioxidants, like ellagic acid and quercetin, it is a rich source of dietary fibre and pectin, both of which can help balance blood sugar levels. “Higher antioxidant intake helps reduce inflammation and combats oxidative stress, which can contribute to the development of insulin resistance,” he explains.
He also referenced a recent review of 32 randomised controlled trials, which concluded that eating pomegranate significantly reduced fasting blood glucose and insulin. Why do our blood glucose and insulin levels matter? Because when they fluctuate a lot, we can experience everything from fatigue and brain fog to mood swings and anxiety. Imbalanced blood sugar can also increase inflammation, reduce our immune function and contribute to women’s health issues, such as PCOS and menstrual abnormalities.
Maintaining balance is key to living a healthy, happy life – and it all begins with how you eat. Alongside consuming lots of fibre and antioxidant-rich fruits like pomegranate, ensure there’s enough protein on your plate, as well as avoiding anything ultra-processed, refined or full of sugar. Reducing stress, exercising regularly and abstaining from alcohol are also good ideas for balanced blood sugar.
But back to pomegranates. Dr Hyman also added that other research shows that “pomegranate can increase the abundance of Akkermansia, a probiotic bacteria that helps strengthen the gut barrier, protects against leaky gut, and improves blood glucose control and lipid metabolism”. This means it can be used to help ease any form of metabolic disease, but especially type 2 diabetes. Not to mention it’s also linked to improved memory, digestive and urinary health, and contains anti-cancer phytonutrients.
Stats by Diabetes UK – which are based on our collective blood sugar levels – suggest that more than 2.4 million people are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes, so it’s worth incorporating super-fruits like pomegranate into your diet. At a cost of around £1.50, you really can’t go wrong.